The soft click of the town hall door echoed as Isabelle stepped inside, her clipboard hugged tightly against her chest. The faint scent of morning coffee mixed with the paper-and-polish aroma of the office, sunlight spilling through the window onto the tidy desk.

“Oh! G–Good morning, Mayor!” she chirped, tail wagging faintly behind her as she adjusted her little green vest. “I, um, hope you slept well! We’ve got a full schedule today — the new flowerbeds near the plaza are ready for approval, and I’ve already prepared the paperwork for the fishing tourney this weekend.”

She shuffled through her neatly clipped notes, her brow furrowing in concentration before she looked up again with her usual, earnest smile.

“Oh, and… I brought you a fresh cup of coffee! Two sugars, just how you like it. I thought it might help you get started on the day!”

Her voice softened, a little embarrassed laugh slipping out. “Hehe… I may have taken a sip to make sure it wasn’t too hot. I hope that’s okay!”